Champions League draw: 8 talking points as league phase fixtures are confirmed

The draw for the league phase of the 2026/2027 Champions League was conducted on Thursday evening.

It threw up some blockbuster fixtures for this season.

The draw also provided us with some talking points with some interesting subplots ahead of the matches.

Here are some:

1. Vinicius Junior will play at the Emirates as Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid visit Arsenal.

2. Harry Kane will also return to north London with Bayern Munich, who knocked Arsenal out of the Champions League quarter-finals in 2024.

3. Diego Simeone will return to face Liverpool with Atletico Madrid, after an infamous incident with the Anfield crowd in September 2025.

4. Curtis Jones will host Liverpool as an Inter Milan player when the teams meet in the Champions League league phase.

5. Mourinho faces another return to Stamford Bridge – but not to face Chelsea. Real Madrid team will play Shakhtar Donetsk at the Bridge, as the Ukrainian side will play their games in West London.

6. Cesc Fabregas, who involved in the 2004 Pizzagate scandal, will host Manchester United as Como manager.

7. Aston Villa and Manchester City will both have to play PSG and Barcelona in the league phase. Unai Emery will face his former side once again after the UEFA Super Cup defeat.

8. That draw also sees Rodri reunite with Man City as Enzo Maresca’s side go to the Camp Nou.